Apparatus for controlling light rays having translucent and reflecting portions



July 18, 1950 A. G. ZIMERMANN 2,515,682

APPARATUS FOR CD NTROLLING LIGHT RAYS HAVING TRANSLUCENT AND REFLECTING PORTIONS Filed May 4, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ALFRED BZIMERMANN GQ ZIMERMANN CON July 18, 1950 A. 2,515,682 APPARATUS FOR TROLLING LIGHT RAYS HAVING TRANSLUCENT AND REFLECTING PORTIONS Filed May 4, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY/ 7}? a Patented July 18, 1950 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING LIGHT RAYS HAVING TRANSLUCENT AND BE- FLECTIN G PORTIONS Alfred G. Zimermann, Washington, D. 0.

Application May 4, 1948, Serial No. 25,004

3 Claims. 1

My invention consists in a new and useful improvement in apparatus for controlling light rays and is designed more particularly for preventing glare of outside light through windows by producing desired subdued direct light and reflected light for illumination of interior areas. sists essentially of impinging light rays passing through the window upon translucent surfaces and opaque reflecting surfaces, which are adjustable relative to the windows. The invention is particularly useful for preventing glare from becoming obnoxious to occupants of a room, avoiding excessive darkness requiring artificial light, by, admitting adequate subdued light by permitting the outdoor light to enter the room sufiiciently to be diffused to give the desired sub dued illumination and reflected to be usefully employed for illuminating otherwise darkened areas .such as wall bookcases. It is particularly adapted for use in interiors having wall paintings or ornamentation which can not be properly viewed because of the ordinary glare from windows, and in sick rooms in which diffused daylight is preferable to artificial light.

While I have illustrated in the drawings and have hereinafter fully described one specific embodiment of my invention, it is to be distinctly understood that I do not consider my invention, as to my improved apparatus, to be limited to said specific embodiment but refer for its scope to the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the device, mounted in operative position adjacent a window.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device.

Fig. 3 is, a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a top plan of the device, and its supporting and adjusting means, the wall and window being in horizontal section and a portion of the adjusting means being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the device.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the adjusting means.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of the supporting means.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the functioning of the device to affect light rays admitted through the window.

As illustrated in the drawings, my device has a frame (Fig. 1) made of suitable material such as light metal rods or sufficiently heavy wire. This frame has a rear rectangular portion comprising a top bar I, a bottom bar 2 and side bars ,3 and 4. A triangular brace 5 connects the side It conbars 3 and 4 with the top bar I. The frame has two lower bars 6 and 1 associated with the bottom bar 2 to form a triangle lying in a plane normal to the side bars 3 and 4, and having a brace bar 8 from the middle of the bottom bar 2 to the junction of the bars 6 and l. The frame has two upper bars 9 and I0 converging downwardly from the junctions of the top bar I with the side bars 3 and 4 and lying in the vertical planes of the bars 6 and l. A vertical bar H connects the junction of bars 6 and l with the junction of bars 9 and I0, and a brace bar l2 connects the junctions of bars 9 and ID with the brace 5, lying in the vertical plane of the brace bar 8.

Suitably mounted on this frame there is a covering l3 of suitable opaque material to form side panels A and B and a top panel C. As indicated in Fig. 2, the front surfaces M, l5 and I6 of these panels A, B and C are reflectors. Suitablymounted on the frame there is also a covering ll oi suitable translucent material to form middle panels D and E and an upper panel F.

My device may be adjustably mounted adjacent a window W in a wall W-l by means of a pair of brackets l8 pivotally mounted on either side of the lower sill of the window W, and having slots [9 to receive therein the bottom bar 2 of the frame. The device is held adjusted in various desired positions by a holder 20 (Figs. 1, 4 and 6) comprising a bracket having a horizontal tubular part 2| slidable on a rod 22 pivoted on the top of the frame of the window W, and a vertical tubular part 23 having threaded in its upper part a set-screw 24 to co-act with the rod 22 to fix the holder 20 in adjusted positions and threaded in its lower part a bolt 25 adjustably attaching a fork 2B which embraces the top bar I and the brace 5 of the frame.

I will now describe the use and operation of my improved device. The parts being as shown in Fig. 1, the light rays Q and T (Fig. 8) passing inwardly through the window W between its side frames M and N impinge upon the panels A to F of the device. As illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8, the rays Q impinge upon the translucent panels D, E and F. A part of this light is reflected as rays R and the remainder passes through the panels D, E and F as direct rays of subdued light. The rays T impinge upon the opaque reflecting panels A, B and C. This light is reflected as rays T-l to impinge upon the interior surfaces of the walls 0 and P at the sides of the window W for the desired illumination of the areas pertinent said walls. It will be noted that while a major 3 portion of the reflected rays R from the panels D, E and F are directed outwardly of the window W and serve no illuminating purpose, some of these reflected rays R impinging upon the surfaces of the walls and P augment the illumination thereof by the rays T--l.

As clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 8, the planes of panels A-, 'B, D and E are disposed at angles of 22 /2" relative to the plane of the window W, to effect the maximum illumination of the surfaces of the walls 0 and P. It is obvious (Figs. 1, 4 and 8) that adjustment 'of the device relative to the window W produces any one of a plurality can be moved bodily, by seating in diiferen't eorpanels disposed centrally of said frame; and opaque panels disposed peripherally of said translucent panels and coated with light-reflecting material on their sides toward the mounting end of said supporting means, all of said panels lying in planes disposed at acute angles to the plane portion of the frame.

2. In a device for controlling light rays which have passed through a window into a room, the combination of supporting means adapted to be mounted on the inside of a window to extend into the room; a frame having a plane portion, mounted on said supporting means, and spaced from the mounting end of said supporting means, generally parallel with the plane of the window;

means for bodily and angularly adjusting said frame on said supporting means; translucent responding slots IE, or tilted about a vertical axis; 1

by seating in non-corresponding slots [9, or tilted about a horizontal axis by adjustment of holder 26 and the rod 2-2. Bodily movement'of the frame maintained vertical determines the degree of illumination of the surfaces of the walls 0 and P. it .is ob-vious that if, no illumination of the surfaces, and asubdued light are desired, the irame may .be disposed sufficiently closely adja cent the window, W that reflected r-ays T-l as well .as reflected rays R will pass outwardly through the window W and only the direct rays S willbe admitted, an effect quite desirable in a sick room. Tilting of the frame about its vertical axis will increase the field of illumination by the-reflected rays on the surface of the wall on one side of the window and decrease the field on the other side. Tilting the frame about its horizontal axis will provide illumination of the interior space above and below the window accordingto the direction of tilt of the frame.

:It is obvious that the .frame can be provided with translucent panels or with opaque reflecting ipanels, covering icompletely :its side disposed toward the window when it is desired :to admit only direct subdued rays, without reflected rays,

panels disposed centrally of said frame; and opaque panels disposed peripherally of said translucent panels and coated with light-reflecting material on their sides toward "the mounting end of said supporting means, all 'of said panels lying in planes disposed at angles of twenty-two and one-half -degrees to the plane portion 'of the frame.

3. In a device for controlling "light rays which have passed through a window into a room, the combination of supportin means adapted to be mounted on the inside of a window to extend into the room; "a frame having a plane portion, mounted on said supporting means, and spaced iromthe mounting end of said supporting means, generally parallel 'with'the plane of the window; means for bodily and angularly adjusting said frame on said supporting means; a translucent panel d-i-sposed centrally of "said frame; and an opaque panel disposed outwardly of said translucen t panel and coated with light-reflecting material on its side toward the mounting end of said supporting means, both of said panels lying in a plane disposed at an acute angle to the plane portion of the frame.

ALFRED G. ZI-MERMANN.

REFERENCE-S orrnn The following references "are of record in :the flleof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS :Smith et a1 Got. 13, 1931 

